Venezuela Youth Day

Venezuela celebrates every February 12 the Youth Day, in commemoration of the young people who accompanied José Félix Ribas and Vicente Campo Elías during the Battle of Victory in 1814.

February 12 is the commemorative date on which Venezuelans, especially young students commemorate the Day of the Youth, in memory of the Battle of La Victoria, fought in 1814 against the royalist army that tried to take that city in the current state of Aragua. This battle was led by General José Félix Ribas, accompanied by young students and seminarians of the time who prevented their adversaries from settling in the square of the city of La Victoria.

This war began on February 12, 1814 at 7:00 a.m. and lasted most of the day without definitive results. The republican forces built a formidable resistance to the royalist offensive, sacrificing many young soldiers in the process.

During this battle, José Félix Ribas encouraged his troops with his famous proclamation: "in this day that will be memorable, we cannot even choose between winning or dying; it is necessary to win! Long live the Republic!". When the afternoon fell and with the Republican offensive intensified, Ribas' troops were reinforced by a contingent of 220 cavalry soldiers led by Vicente Campo Elías coming from San Mateo. This was a decisive action for the patriot forces to obtain the victory and triumph in battle. Thus, the Second Republic was preserved and Ribas obtained the title of "Conqueror of the tyrants" from Simón Bolívar.

On February 10, 1947, the National Constituent Assembly declared that February 12 be celebrated as Youth Day in Venezuela, in recognition of the young people for their service to the Republic at that time.